Edition 47: Jul-Sep 1996 - Inside Indonesia

Indigenous land rights and the ILO

Who cares that Indonesia's indigenous peoples are losing their land? The International Labour Organisation does, more than almost anyone else in the world, says TOM ETTY.

'We've lived here thousands of years'.

Inspired by student discussions, John Rumbiak became a spokesman for disempowered indigenous peoples in Irian Jaya

'We promote community-based land mapping'

The Consortium for Agrarian Reform is a new umbrella grouping of NGOs interested in land issues. Chairman Noer Fauzi rebuts the land administration project in which AusAID is a partner.

'Feminism is a choice of life'

MARIA PAKPAKHAN is a programme officer at INFID in Jakarta. She speaks of her student days, of mass action and specialised lobbying. And of feminism.

'They don't consider us real humans'

Pieter Magal works in community development at Freeport. He is from the local Amungme tribe, and speaks of both the good and the bad that Freeport has brought.

'Development is an extension of colonialism'.

After years researching his own Dayak culture in Kalimantan (Borneo), Stephanus Djuweng concludes it has nothing to gain and much to lose from 'development'

Women feed Malaysian boom

Tens of thousands of Indonesian women work in Malaysia's booming economy as domestics and prostitutes. Often illegal, they have few rights. SIDNEY JONES visits them.

'Labourers won't bow to repression'

Fauzi Abdullah has been close to factory workers for over 15 years, and has witnessed their frustration rise. Today he heads a labour study centre (LIPS) in Bogor. He recalls the first strike he saw close-up, and risks a look into the future.

Australians help codify Indonesian land titles

Australia's biggest aid project in Indonesia is designed to strengthen Indonesian land registration procedures. IAN ANDERSON of AusAID spoke with some INFID participants about the project.

'Human rights belong to us'.

Asmara Nababan is the executive secretary of INFID in Jakarta. Since he is also a member of the National Human Rights Commission, we asked him to assess both. For Asmara, the link is human rights.

Indigenous land rights and the ILO

'We've lived here thousands of years'.

'We promote community-based land mapping'

'Feminism is a choice of life'

'They don't consider us real humans'

'Development is an extension of colonialism'.

Women feed Malaysian boom

'Labourers won't bow to repression'

Australians help codify Indonesian land titles

'Human rights belong to us'.

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